Starting a commonplace book. Is cloud-based OneNote worthwhile

[Late Boomer]

I have subscription-based Microsoft, which includes OneNote. This version uses the MS cloud. Does anybody else use this? I've messed with it enough to determine that it could help me organize my thoughts, but I've seen Leo recommend installing an older version that saves to the computer. I can't decide which way to go. Not a big fan of the cloud in general due to potential privacy issues - the next US administration might not be kind to people like us and no guarantee the service will remain accessible in the future - but I have already been using Google Drive to store documents because it's convenient to use on my phone. 

Cloud-based has advantages. For one thing I spilled a drink on my previous laptop and lost everything and I'd still have my stuff if it had been in the cloud. Is it worth waiting to get the installed version or is there another program folks would recommend? I'm itching to get started. Should I just do so? I don't want to have to do it over again. Also can the cloud-based OneNote be made to store locally? Supposedly it can be used offline and will upload to the cloud later. 

[Hello from Russia]

I found this new version of one note to be really shitty

Check out obsidian

[asifarahim]

Microsoft is trying to kill one note.

Go with obsidian.it is very good and is futureproof

[Late Boomer]

21 hours ago, asifarahim said:

Microsoft is trying to kill one note.

Go with obsidian.it is very good and is futureproof

Thanks. Looked at a couple of tutorials. I think I'm going to start with this. 

[Late Boomer]

On 8/18/2021 at 4:04 PM, Hello from Russia said:

I found this new version of one note to be really shitty

Check out obsidian

Could you tell me a little bit about what you're putting in your commonplace book and how? Are you putting in longform content, etc.? So far I'm just going through tutorials and I've written up some longish trip reports. At this point I can see where it could turn into a disorganized mess if I'm not careful. (My longterm goal is to put anecdotes, insights and other material together and see if I can fictionalize them and create short stories and maybe a novel.)

[Hello from Russia]

@Late Boomer For me that's the whole appeal of Obsidian - how easy you can structure your mess while not needing to have a rigid hierarhichal structure like in Onenote and other apps. Other apps force you into a hierarchy, with Obsidian you can create a note-taking holarchy which you can scale to infinity.

You can still create structure, but you can do it in a kinda decentralized way, which is super cool! Try to research Zeikeister note-taking method, you'll get a bunch of nice ideas. For me, some shit gets really lost in Onenote as I have over 1k notes here and it's really hard to keep the perfect hierarchy. In Obsidian, I don't feel like anything get's lost.

Obsidian feels perfect for my brain/the way I constantly want to connect things to each other. Whole experience just feels so smooth

For putting stuff, I put very similar stuff in it as Leo, but I do it in my own kinda way. Imo, writing such journals should be very uniquely tailored to your own personality/quirks, which is essentially about developing your own system/methodology of notetaking. 

Sorry If my wording is a bit messy, I didn't sleep for a while

[jimwell]

On 8/19/2021 at 3:14 AM, Late Boomer said:

Also can the cloud-based OneNote be made to store locally? Supposedly it can be used offline and will upload to the cloud later.

No, because a web OneNote is meant to function online. And it can't store locally.

 

On 8/19/2021 at 3:14 AM, Late Boomer said:

Is it worth waiting to get the installed version or is there another program folks would recommend?

I recommend installing OneNote 2021. It is installed on your PC so you can use it offline. It can also store locally via its "Export" feature. You can export a section or an entire notebook to your local storage as .docx (word file), pdf, .onepkg (OneNote package), etc.

 

On 8/19/2021 at 3:14 AM, Late Boomer said:

Does anybody else use this? I've messed with it enough to determine that it could help me organize my thoughts, but I've seen Leo recommend installing an older version that saves to the computer.

OneNote 2021 is better than OneNote 2010; better in features and user interface. Of course, it took 10 years of updates for improvisation and stability purposes to create OneNote 2021. Microsoft will discontinue the built-in OneNote for windows 10 soon so they can focus on improving OneNote 2021 and beyond.

I love OneNote. I use it for everything; writing my personal thoughts and insights, saving Google Maps links which can't be starred, and for other interests. Another good thing about OneNote 2021 is that it is easy to import things from other apps such as MS Edge via "Share to OneNote" feature.

I bought 3 copies (installers) of Office 2021 for my 2 laptops and my mother's. Each installer installs OneNote, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. on 1 PC. I already installed one on this PC, the one I'm using. I took a screenshot during installation. You can see the OneNote 2021 icon below.

 

I found an extra copy of Office 2019 and installed it on my mother's laptop. That's enough for her work-at-home needs. She doesn't even use OneNote. If you want, I can give you one of my installers for half the official price. If you can't afford it, I'll give it to you for free. But I doubt that is your situation. Here is the official page for Office Pro 2019. Office Pro 2021 will be the same price or even more expensive.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-professional-2019/cfq7ttc0k7c5?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

The good thing about this version of Office is that you only need to pay once; and it is activated for a lifetime. So, I recommend you quit your Microsoft 365 monthly subscription. You can save thousands in the long run.

I am worried this post might violate forum rules, so I'll stop here. Just send me a private message.   

[Late Boomer]

@jimwell

Thanks so much. I'm kind of committed to exploring Obsidian at this point, but I may go back to it. I know my wife is in love with OneNote, so I may show her your comment. 

[Late Boomer]

@Hello from Russia Are you by any chance using the LYT kit for Obsidian? Trying to learn the Zettlekasten system and about MOC's. I feel dumb for asking, but I downloaded his kit and opened as a vault, but I had another one that I was already starting on. Can you combine vaults? Trying to figure out how to start using his system and keep the stuff I was working on. 

[Hello from Russia]

@Late Boomer You can just drag your notes (& other files) from one vault to another in your file system and it will automatically combine

Yeah, all these systems are great and very valuable to learn, however, in the end, the best way is to "Kill Buddha on the road" so to speak and start developing your own systems/heuristics of how you journal, it will give the highest yields

[Late Boomer]

@asifarahim Are you using MOCs and/or Zettlekasten? Just downloaded Nick Milo's Lyt kit and trying to learn the system.

[jimwell]

 

18 hours ago, Late Boomer said:

@jimwell

Thanks so much. I'm kind of committed to exploring Obsidian at this point, but I may go back to it. I know my wife is in love with OneNote, so I may show her your comment. 

 It's better if you show my comment to your wife immediately. I'm giving my installer to anybody who needs it. I just can let it sit there and be forgotten for a few years.

If there is anybody out there who has a windows 10 pc and needs my installer, message me. Include your country in the message. ?

 

 

[herghly]

On 19/08/2021 at 5:04 AM, Hello from Russia said:

I found this new version of one note to be really shitty

Check out obsidian

any proof? i've been using one note for awhile no problems.. but of course I'd switch if there's something better